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Posted: 2021-08-25 20:39:05

The South Australian trucking association is urging the public to report freight drivers they think are doing the wrong thing.  

Commercial transport drivers are limited to eight prescribed roads for entering the state under the current border restrictions.

Executive officer of the South Australian Road Transport Association Steve Shearer said if anyone noticed wrongdoing, it was important that they contacted the authorities.

"We would ask that anyone who sees that, reports it," he said.

A South Australian police officer stands at a coronavirus checkpoint.
SA's police commissioner says additional resources have been deployed to the border, including on "quieter back roads".(

ABC News: Bec Whetham

)

Mr Shearer said he had not heard of drivers attempting to dodge border rules.

"There's been no reports that have come to either me or to SARTA," Mr Shearer said.

"It's possible that there are some truck drivers or operators who are, for whatever reason, coming in on non-approved routes, and that is absolutely unacceptable.

But Mr Shearer said it was possible that some people were seeing cross-border community members —who happen to be driving trucks — using back roads.

A man wearing a white shirt and glasses
Steve Shearer says the majority of the industry is doing the right thing. (

ABC News

)

"It is possible that members of the community are seeing some trucks on non-approved roads entering South Australia," he said.

"But they might be individuals who are members of the border community group and they might just happen to be driving a truck.

"They're not part of the commercial freight industry and border community members are not limited to entering South Australia on those prescribed roads."

'Need to comply'

Mr Shearer said the trucking industry had been working closely with authorities to ensure transport operations could continue during border closures.

Sign on highway says "entry to SA restricted".
Steve Shearer says the industry is grateful to have been able to continue operating during the pandemic. (

ABC News

)

"I'm very confident that with [the exception of] a possible tiny percentage, unrepresentative percentage, the industry's doing it properly and getting it right," he said.

"I say to any commercial freight operator or driver who's not complying with the quite reasonable border controls, it's really not that bad.

"We're still able to work, they need to comply all the time."

South Australian Police said in a statement that the force was not aware of any trucks breaching the border restrictions.

"Police continue to staff border checkpoints," the statement said.

"Anyone who sees any suspicious activity is encouraged to report it at the time to the police assistance line on 131 444."

A sign saying "welcome to South Australia' in a drone shot of a road
The transport industry says it has worked closely with authorities to ensure it can continue operating during border closures. (

ABC News

)

Meanwhile, SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said additional resources had been deployed to the border.

"We've just put additional police officers and protective security officers at our border checkpoints.

"We've started to work on some of those quieter back roads to make sure that they're covered.

"We're doing everything we can to keep COVID out."

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